Centrifugal amusement apparatus.



H. N. RIDGW GENTRIFUGAL AMUSEMENT ARATUS. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 8.

910,417. Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

H. N. RIDGWAY. GENTRIFUGAL AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 25, 1908.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

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HERBERT N. RIDGWAY, OF WINTHBOP, MASSACHUSETTS.

CENTRIFUGAL AMUSEMENTTAPPARATS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT N. RIDGWAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Winthrop, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Centrifugal Amusement Apparatus, of Which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to Centrifugal amusement apparatus of that class involving a rotary platform on which persons are adapted to stand or sit and which is arranged to be rotated at suflicient speed to eXpel the persons therefrom by centrifugal action.

The invention relates particularly to the receiving platform on which the persons are received when they are eXpelled from the rotary platform, and the object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of receiving platform which is adapted to give the persons received thereon uneXpected and sur rising sensations.

n the drawings I have shown some embodiments of invention without, however, eXhausting the possible constructions in which the invention may be embodied.

Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is asection on the line x-x, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2, but Showing another form of the invention.

The rotary platform is designated by 3. It may have any suitable Construction and be of any suitable size, although best results may be obtained by making it with a diameter of 15 or ZOfeet. The platform may be sustained in any suitable way so as to permit of its rotating, and it may also be arranged with its upper surface either in a horizontal plane or at an inclination. In the drawings I have shown it arranged horizontally, and as being sustained by two series of supporting rolls 4 and 5 which engage tracls 6 and 7 formed on the bottom of the platform. The platform has also rigid therewth a central pivotal shaft 8 which rotates in suitable stationary bearings 9. The platform may be rotated in any suitable way and in the drawings I have shown for this purpose a bevel gear 10 fast on the shaft 8, which gear meshes with and is driven by a driving gear 11 fast on a power shaft 12, which leads to a motor or other driving mechanism, not shown. This manner of supporting and driving the Specficaton of Letters Patent.

Applcation filed May 25, 1908.

the two platforms.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

Serial No. 434,'778.

rotary platform is not essential to my invention and may be varied in many ways provided the rotary centrifugal platform is retained.

Surrounding the rotary platform 3 is a receiving platform which is made with portions situated at different elevations so that when the persons are eXpelled from the rotary platform they are received first on the portion of higher elevation and from the latter descend to a ortion of lower elevation. The portion of iigher elevation is shown at 14, and this portion is in the form of an annular platform situated closely adjacent to the outer edge of the rotary platform 3. The surface of the platform 14 is preferably situated at a slightly lower level, say an inch or two, than the surface of the rotary platform 3, and the edges of the two platforms are so close together that a person will be thrown off from the rotary platform onto the platform 14 without likelihood of injury and without danger of gettingcaught between The receiving platform also comprises the floor portion 15 situated at a lower level than the platform 14, and the floor portion 15 and the platform 14: are preferably connected by an annular inclined way 16 so that persons forced off from the platform 14: may slide down the way 16 onto the floor section 15.

I prefer to make the apparatus so that the relation between the width of the platform 14 and the speed with which the alatform 3 is rotated is such that persons will e eXpelled from the platform 3 by centrifugal action when the latter is rotated with suflicient force so that they will be carried across the platform 14: down the incline 16 and onto the floor section 15. If desired the receiving platform may be made with more than two elevations which have the same relation to each other that the platform 14 and floor 15 do, so that the persons expelled from the rotary latforrn will be carried over the annular p atforms of different elevations and will slide from one to the other. I may also provide the floor section or either one of the annular platforms with an upsetting obstruction 170 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or an upsetting ridge or obstruction 17 as shown in Fig. 3 so that persons Sliding across the floor section 15 and striking the rid e or ob- 'struction 17 or obstruction 170 will e upset. This adds greatly to the amusement afl'orded by the device.

I have also shown an annular buffer or V stop 18 Which surrounds the entire apparatus and which serves to limit the movement of persons eXpelled from the platform. This buffer may be suitably padded so that a person will not be injured by being brought up against the same.

'Ihe receiving platform may have either a polished smooth surface, or a frction surface, or a surface of any other suitable nature, or portions of the surface may be smooth and other portions of a frictional nature.

'lhe upsetting ridge 17 is preferably made sufficiently soft so that persons will not be injured by Sliding thereover.

I will preferably make the horizontal sections of the receiving platform of suflicient Width to receive a person in a sitting or lying posture, and will also make the vertical distance between the sections situated at different levels less than the Width of said sections. 'lhis is done so that when a person is eXpelled from the rotary platform, he will be received entirely by the sections at different levels in succession.

In operating the apparatus the persons Who desire to use it first arrange themselves in any desired attitude on the rotary platform 3,- and the latter is then set in rotation, the speed thereof being preferably gradually increased until the desired maxinium speed is reached. AS the rotary speed of the platform 3 increases, the persons thereon Will be impelled by centrifugal force toward the periphery and suflicient centrifugal force will be developed to throw the persons entirely free from the rotary platform onto the receiving platform.

ln the preferred embodiment of my invention the construction of the receivin platform is such that the persons will be hrown clear across the elevated section 14 down the incline 16 onto the floor section 15 of lower level, and even across the upsetting ridge 17. Clhe passage of the persons across the platform 14 and down the incline 16 gives them peculiar sensations and the presence of the incline 16 makes it very hard for a person to maintain any desired position while Sliding onto the lower floor level. If, however, a person does succeed in maintaining any particular position in reaching the lower floor level, he is always 'sure to be upset from this position by passing overthe upsetting ridge 17 From the above it will be seen that my invention comprises a terraced receiving platform, that is, one provided with annular portions situated at different elevations. 'lhis I regard as broadly new and desire to claim itbroadly.

It will be obvious that many changes i11` the shape and Construction of the terraced platform arrangement may be made without in any way departing from the invention, and I reserve to myself the right to make all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims.-

In lieu of the annular upsetting ridge, I may use a plurality of separate upsetting obstructions 170 as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. Any number of these obstructions may be employed and each will preferably be rounded so as not to injure persons Sliding over it. When a plurality of separate upsetting obstructions are employed a person eXpelled from the rotary platform may or may not strike one.

'lhe annular platform section 14 may also be used as a platform from which a person may step onto the rotary platform when the latter is in motion. My invention thus comprehends a construction involving a rotary platform surrounded by a stationary horizontal platform which terminates in an incline way.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to Secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an amusement apparatus, the combination with a rotary platform and means whereby it may be rotated, of a receivng platform surrounding the rotary platform and provided with annular sections situated at different levels and connected by inclined sections.

2. In an amusement apparatus, the combination with a rotary platform and means whereby it may be rotated, of a receiving platform presenting annular sections situated at different levels, and an upsetting obstruction formed on one of the sections.

3. In an amusement apparatus, the combination with a rotary platform and means whereby it may be rotated, of a receiving platform presenting annular sections situated at different levels, and an, annular upsetting ridge formed on one of the sections.

4. ln an amusement apparatus, the combination with a rotary platform and means whereby it may be rotated, of an annular platform section 14 immediately surrounding the rotary platform and terminating at its outer edge in an incline.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing wtnesses.

HERBERT N. RIDGWAY.

Witnesses:

LoUIs C. SMITH, W. C. LUNSFORD. 

